How long to strip/rebuild calipers?

I've done a rear one before but how long roughly would it take to strip rebuild both front calipers with new seals etc?

I have this annoying clicking sound, it is def the brakes as it stops once the lever is pulled and it only ever seems to be the right hand caliper. It went away when i just took the pads out and gave the caliper a clean but its back so have bought new seals.

Hoping I can do it in an evening, I am a competent DIY'er

Hour or two. As they are sliding calipers, no need to break them in half and it is only 4 pistons to do.

You can remove the calipers, master cylinder and lines as a complete unit, take the whole thing to your workbench and go from there. I tend to pop both pistons on one caliper, clean , service and bleed it and then repeat.

Is it possible to get all 4 pistons out by just removing the calipers, can I pump them out then use grips to pull them (with a cloth or something in the jaws)

[NTECUK]

The pistons are soft.Putting grips on them can dammage them.Be careful !!.Your a bit stuck as you dont have an air commpressor.(and a bit of wood).

No I don't lol. I will try and get them as far out as I can with the lever then with grips and a cloth I think.

[jambo]

Hydraulics are a much more controlled way to ease the pistons out than compressed air (no bang - projectile moment).

Just put some big allen keys / spanners between the pistons and the caliper back and pump until all 4 pistons are to that point, then put something slightly slimmer in the space and pump until all 4 pistons are out a little more. If you're careful you can get all 4 pistons to the point where they are just starting to weep fluid from behind them at the same time. At this point you need something like your fingers to pull them free.

That's what I do anyway.

Jambo

P.S. Don't forget to keep topping up the fluid while pumping the pistons out, and have a bucket ready to catch the fluid when the pistons do come out.

[NTECUK]

Pop. !!!
But thats half the fun
the bit of wood stops any projectile moments.
Unless your up for a bit of an "in coming " excitement.

I had a clicking/knocking noise coming from my front left caliper in the ZX9. I stripped, cleaned and rebuilt them with new seals but still had the same noise, which like yours went away when the lever was pressed.

Found out it was the thin metal bracket (brake shims) that the brake pads sit against was slightly bent out of shape which was allowing the brake pad to move about slightly causing the knocking noise. Took all of 5 minutes to remove the shim, bend it back and install, no more noise now.

http://www.lm-spares.co.uk/acatalog/...-821_small.jpg

That's a picture of the ZX9R calipers. The shiny metal bracket/plate is what I'm talking about. Can't remember if the SV calipers are similar. If they are might be worth checking.

[NTECUK]

Just call them brake shims Dunn-y

Brake shims, got it.